330 — Sword Ghost

Kang-!

Kwahang-!

Yu Seha and the Sword Ghost, So Hang-woo.

The new forms of the two swordsmen, who had reached the ultimate, produced countless movements in the blink of an eye.

Instant, moment—words that denote an impossibly brief span.

In that single instant, the myriad sword-paths continued without pause.

A single slash. A single sword movement. A single clash. A single collision.

The combination of their swords was, in a way, beautiful—but it was clearly founded on killing intent.

Killing karma rose like a heat haze, thick with momentum as it collided.

The beginning came from Yu Seha.

The Sword Ghost did not fall behind either. His madness cast a deeper frenzy than even the owner of heaven-bestowed killing karma. Wrapping energy that erupted like a volcano around <Ghost Step>, he further enhanced the power of the Ghost-Shadow Sword.

Kwah-!

If this were ordinary land, it would already have become a catastrophe—a transcendent’s fight where, if they wished, they could easily destroy an entire continent.

Countless, infinite exchanges. Of the two, the one who surged forward first and moved unhindered across the field was the Sword Ghost.

“Wonderful, how wonderful!!!”

The Sword Ghost burst into laughter full of joy. He rode his madness and danced upon it, careless of his life as he burned everything in his path. It was like a court jester performing on a precarious rope.

He moved fiercely as if transcending his limits. Normally lean and practical, a man who wielded a killing sword solely to kill, the Sword Ghost’s sword dance was always brief—one cut severed the world’s myriad things; how could it be sustained? But the opponent before him was a phoenix in the sky, untouched by such matters.

He spun around and around, pouring everything at the one who stood unscathed after taking his full force. The <Ghost Shadow Blade> in his hand screamed as if it could not withstand such pressure, but he turned regardless. Like an endlessly spinning top, his momentum rode the flow and accelerated.

“Wahaha!!!”

“……”

Conversely, Yu Seha met the Sword Ghost’s strike with minimal force, countering with extreme restraint. Manipulating the <Heavenly Sword>, he left not the slightest opening. It was the exact opposite of the <Villain Invasion>—then Yu Seha exploded with everything and charged, and the Sword Ghost responded to it all.

However, even if the situation’s structure reversed, one thing did not change: the Sword Ghost’s obsession. From then until now he had not altered a bit—a twisted teacher’s desire to have his life taken, a madman’s aim to see the end. For him, this moment was both the end of life and the destination.

‘Come on, hurry…’

Hurry and kill me, Yu Seha. Show me the end of the heavens. Because you are the greatest talent in all ages, show the sight you can reach!

So Hang-woo, as always, ran straight ahead.

But for some reason, he suddenly felt something catch at him.

‘Hmm…?’

In an instant he turned his head—not a full turn in reality, but clearly a look back. He turned though he did not particularly sense danger. It was like a repeat sign on a musical score; a flashback unfolded.

One day earlier.

The second floor of the temple built by the Demon King’s authority.

The Sword Ghost answered a nighttime summons. The caller sat on a shabby sofa—Moon Ha-yeon, drinking cheap beer.

He asked gruffly, “What is it? And for the record, I don’t drink.”

Moon Ha-yeon replied, “Who cares what anyone says? I just have something I want to say…”

“Say it straight.”

Moon Ha-yeon, who had been staring at him, suddenly said something unexpected—an abrupt, out-of-place remark.

“…Wouldn’t it be better to ‘Ascend the Immortal Ladder’ even now?”

“What…?”

“No, I heard it’s not just pressing a button to ascend; you need at least a day to sit in readiness. I thought pressing it now would be perfect timing.”

“……”

The Sword Ghost made a hollow sound of disbelief. All this fuss just to suggest that—had she interrupted his training for tomorrow’s final duel? But her eyes were serious, so he answered nonetheless.

“Not a chance.”

“…Then at least how about fixing your arm?”

“No need.”

As he wondered why on earth she was like this, she made another unexpected comment.

“Don’t you have regrets?”

“Regrets?”

It was a word the Sword Ghost had never once considered—not when his wife died, not when his daughter was murdered. He could assert it would never be a word for him going forward.

“Not at all.”

“I see… Sorry, I took your time.”

‘…Useless thoughts…’

He wondered why such a meaningless moment had come to mind, but he shook it off in an instant and charged forward.

Bang, bang—toward Yu Seha and that sword wrapped in all five subtleties, he swung the Ghost-Shadow Sword like a challenge.

Here he would end his story.

‘With death as collateral… I will behold with my own eyes beyond the end of the heavens!’

At that moment—sreuk.

“……!”

He felt a chill down his spine at the sight of Yu Seha lowering his sword without adopting any stance. A wind hiss wrapped the tip of the <Heavenly Sword>, and countless figure-forms combined into a single sphere.

“Ah, ah…”

The Sword Ghost was awed. This was the final technique of the Ghost-Shadow Sword he had barely reached with his life’s all—and Yu Seha had reached it in only a year and six months.

He imagined the rushing sphere touching his body, felt his flesh tear and the flow of life vanish. He clawed at his throat as the presence called death strangled him with both hands—a sensation he had never felt before.

The Sword Ghost laughed. “Have you finally spread all your wings, Yu Seha?”

“……”

A phoenix’s enormous wingbeat descended upon him.

“Come then.”

O end of the heavens, O most radiant star of talent, O brilliance more splendid than anything in this world, I, the Sword Ghost’s—

“Seize my throat!!!”

He accepted Yu Seha’s gambit. Riding the tip of the <Ghost Shadow Blade>, he formed spheres much smaller than Yu Seha’s—but they were many, not singular. The spheres rose from two to three to four to five, repeatedly fusing and splitting as they traced countless motions. It was the final secret technique he could offer, his last strike presented to Yu Seha.

“……”

Yu Seha watched and gripped the <Heavenly Sword>. He too sensed the Sword Ghost’s end and intuited the duel’s conclusion.

‘I’ll settle it here.’

Yu Seha could not create a mass of spheres like the Sword Ghost—only one at first—but it contained far greater realization. All the subtleties of [Strength, Swiftness, Joy, Qi, Ease] converged into that single sphere. The sword-edge of the Heavenly Blade, the scent of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, and finally the one sword Yu Seha alone acknowledged—his lifelong teacher’s blade—merged within it. The ferocity of the Overlord Sword Technique condensed into that one point.

They had reached the same extreme, but their final answers were different.

Sluuurp.

“Ah, ah…!”

The Sword Ghost shed tears. He had never imagined such a path existed; he admitted it—Yu Seha’s answer was precisely what he had longed to see.

One second of standoff. Then, without either going first, both lifted their feet simultaneously. Their blades collided, and Yu Seha’s Heavenly Sword cut through and crushed the Sword Ghost’s spheres, severing his throat.

“Kerhuak, cough…”

The Sword Ghost gasped for breath. Blood streamed from his eyes. Foamy blood bubbled in his mouth and soaked his clothes. He clutched his throat. With transcendent reflexes, his neck had been cut exactly halfway.

Still, it was a mortal wound.

“Ker…huk…”

He had no abilities related to [Regeneration, Recovery, Restoration]. He had deliberately not chosen or learned them. To him, healing wounds and recovering was a foolish choice—a retreat for those who look back, for those who regret.

Thud!

He bent his knees, staggered, and fell back, sprawling on his back.

“Did I lose…”

“……”

“I see, I lost. Very good…”

He rolled his eyes. At the radiant edge of Yu Seha, the sphere brimming with countless realizations shone clearly in the Sword Ghost’s vision—Yu Seha, who would finally devour him and step up the stairs above.

“How beautiful this is.”

At last he could see the invisible stairs he’d searched for so relentlessly. Yu Seha climbed them. He saw the silhouette of a man beyond.

‘Han-seong…’

I see. That truly is where my brother is.

At last, Yu Seha—my disciple, my successor—had reached him. No, that’s not it.

“More, cough. He can go further.”

If so, surely he would devour Ji Han-seong and climb even higher.

“…Take it, Yu Seha.”

Cut off my head and impale it in the temple. Have them pick up my body and trample it, and throw it so I receive a beating.

“If you wish… take this long sword as well.”

It would be merely a toy to play with.

He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes peacefully.

‘What a satisfying ending.’

Just as he was about to accept that icy death, a strange warmth flowed along his neck.

“Hm…?”

He opened his eyes wide. A warmth he had never wanted even in dreams flowed through his body. Undeniably a healing skill—a Holy Law powerful enough to instantly heal fatal wounds.

His eyes reddened with rage. “What…”

“……”

“Right now, what on earth are you doing, Yu Seha!!!”

Yu Seha looked down at him, his gaze an extreme coldness that contrasted with the Sword Ghost’s furious heat. A chill that naturally evoked the word ‘ruthless.’

“I have already paid you the courtesy you deserved a moment ago.”

“…What?”

The Sword Ghost tried to move but could not. Something more than mere healing gnawed through his body.

Yu Seha said calmly, “The reason I faced you with the sword until the last moment, the reason I showed you what you wanted—whatever the case, it is because I was able to come this far thanks to you.”

Without the struggle with him, Yu Seha would not have obtained Complete Devour. Even if he had, it would have taken much longer.

Yu Seha rose. Turning his back openly to the shocked Sword Ghost, he walked away with confidence.

The Sword Ghost shouted, “Where, where are you going! I ask, where are you going!!!”

“I guarantee it.”

Yu Seha did not look at him—as if he were not there, as if he were already dead.

“You will meet the most tragic ending you would never wish for. In the way you yourself would despair most… You will die more miserably than anyone else.”

Ignoring the Sword Ghost’s bluster, Yu Seha went up to the second floor where Moon Ha-yeon waited.